Monday, September 16, 2013

Yes, the corn started coming in today.  Yields are better than expected, looks so far like just a tick over 200 for an average…at least that’s the number generated by the combine monitors.  Moisture has been variable, 24-28%.  That will make John’s job of operating the dryer a bit more difficult… a uniform moisture level is preferred.  The dryer is humming along nicely.

Ross and I have been tweaking the settings on our combines all afternoon, trying to optimize the through-put and quality of the grain.  He seems to have settled in with his Case-IH a little quicker than I have with the John Deere.  But then again, Ross is a very good expert at machine operations.  You’d think that since I’m 60 years old, I’d know how to set a combine, but I needed some advice again today.  In fact, I brought the JD in to the farm shop to better inspect the internal workings.  Finding them clear and clean, I spoke with our JD service advisor, and he gave me some new information about higher settings for the cleaning system fan.  I’m confident that will allow me to put more grain in the tank.

Yes, there were a few bugs to work out today.  John had to get Montgomery Welding to come and put a ‘patch’ on one of the dryer’s conveyors.  Some things you just cannot find until you begin.  But all in all, a pretty good first day.  And the yield numbers are happy news.  The soybean yields may not be quite so happy when we get going on them, but that’s for late this week or early next week.  Let’s enjoy this day.